Kontos Cellars 2016 Les Collines Vineyard Tate Syrah

Appellation: Walla Walla Valley

Walla Walla native Cameron Kontos didn’t stray far from home — the foothills of the Blue Mountains — for this stunning example of Syrah that topped the field of 169 submissions for the tasting staged in January by Wine Press Northwest. Les Collines, a French phrase that means “the foothills,” ranks as one of the cooler sites in the Walla Walla Valley, and Kontos employed a fermentation of 75% whole cluster to achieve remarkable results for this wine named for a niece. Aromas of blackberry, anise and dried herbs lead to a complex, approachable yet age-worthy example of Syrah that shows remarkable extraction and an abundance of blueberry and blackberry flavors.